Grit blending and spreading machine



July 13, 1948. v FR|TH 2,445,027

GRIT BLENDING AND SPIiEIADIIv'IG MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1948. c. A. FR\ITCH GRIT BLENDING AND SPREADING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1944 I illI/IZ/l a 10 6 Umenm Patented July 13,

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE? Gnrr nLENpiNG arn s fizaanmo mom Application slzpctgelrzl No. 556,248

My invention relates in its broadest aspect to a method of mechanically blending and spreading grit of various materials, sizes, shapes, and

colors onto a bituminous or asphalt base, and a clently diversified to give a varietyoi color; In

fact, roofing material has generally been gritted with a solid color only. From time to time various devices have been made by inventors with the primaryidea in mind of spreading grit on a roofing material and/or the like, so as to give a pleasing appearanceto the eye, but up to the present time no ma}- chine has been invented which will properly blend grit, and at the same time spread it, so as to give a roofing material a decorative finish.

And since the modern trend in' the manufacture of roofing materials and the like is to produce a material having thereon properly blended colored grits, this invention has been developed to accomplish such purpose.

Therefore, the object of this invention is to pro-; vide a method and means for blending and spreading grit particles onto a prepared roofing sheet in such a manner that it will be evenly and thoroughly covered.

Another object of the invention to to provide a grit-blending and spreading machine that will mix and blend the grit so as to provide a pleasing appearance.

The objects of this invention are achieved by providing a grit blending and spreading machine with means therewith for moving grit particles along distributing tables. 4

These objects are further achieved by provid ing a grit blending and spreading machine which may be so regulated that uniformity in the fiow of blended grits to distributing tables, and thence ttilm the roofing material can be maintained at all According to the present invention I provide a plurality of chambers equipped with suitable outlets and closing means, so that comminuted materials of various sizes, shapes,- and colors can be fed in a mixture of varying proportions onto distributing-tables in a predetermined manner.

5 before being spread on a roofing material.

Other objects will present themselves from a perusal of this specification and claims to those skilled in the art.

m tures of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts peculiar to this structure hereinafter described, by which the foregoing'objects and other objects which will hereinafter appear, are attained, and which will become more apparent from a complete examination of the specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, inwhich claims are assembled certain combination of parts and constructions indicative of the scope and spirit of the invention, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions and details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In theaccompanying drawings an illustrative example is shown of a construction of a grit blending and spreading machine which will produce the desired objects herein outlined, and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several diflerent views, and in which- 35 Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the machine Figure 2 is aside elevation of the machine, part of it being shown as a sectional elevation;

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of the machine; and

55 compartments. Projections or knobs may be And so the invention consists in certain fea- Figure 4 is a plan of the grit distributin table provided on the shut-oi! gate 2 to act as stops for positioning said gates and also for sliding them back and forth. 7

Below the hopper are two substantially horizontal, plane surfaced distributing tables I having a plurality of apertures l therein to permit grit which falls on the tables from the hopper to pass through the tables. and narrow and one extends beneath the openings I! in the chambers 22, I3. 2| and on one side of the hopper i, and the other table extends beneath the openings If in the chambers l'l, ll, i3, II and ii on the other side of the hopper.

Beneath the tables a is an enclosed distributing chamber 1 for receiving the blended. grit and directing it on to the hot asphalt sheet which is carried beneath and transversely of the blending machine. The grit is distributed over the surface of the hot asphalt and subsequently the asphalt sheet is passed between rollers and the grit is pressed onto the surface of the asphalt, the result being a preformed sheet of ready roofing.

The chamber 8 is provided at its lower end with inclined baiiles i forming between them a slot through which the blended grit passes.

To distribute and blend the grit, scrapers I the chain) on each side like wings above the tables 3.

On the outer edges of the tables I are upstanding flanges l2 and if for retaining the grit on the tables. The tables are supported on a base frame ll mounted on legs or upright supports It. The sprocket wheels I! and it are mounted on shafts I and respectively which are rotatably mounted on brackets II and 2| respectively which are secured to the base frame II.

The endless chain i4 is driven by means of a motor I! through driving mechanism of any suitable kind generally designated-as I in the drawings which rotates the head or driving sprocket ll.

It is to be understood that the specific terminology used herein is not intended to be restrictive or confining, since rearrangement of parts and modification of structural details. may be resorted to, in manufacturing the grit blending and spreading machine without departing from the spirit of the invention.

An operation of the device is as follows. The hopper consisting of a series of chambers 22', If, 24, II, 28, 21, It, 29, Ill and II, is filled with grits of various colors in any prearranged order and quantity, such as placing red grits in 22, blue grits in ll, green grits in 24, yellow grits in 25, white grits in 20, black grits in 21, brown grits in II, gray grits in 2!, orange grits in 30, and pink grits in 3|. Or, if desired any combinations of colors may be used in each chamber or chambers. The motor drive is then started and the endless conveyor mechanism moves its associated scraping means on, over and along the top of the distributing tables. On opening the shut-oi! means associated with each chamber of the hopper, grits of various colors, shapes and sizes, fall by gravity The tables 8 are long,

onto the distributing tables, and some im'medi ately fall through the aperture means in the I tables. into the balls chamber Q positioned therebelow, and from which they fall onto the surface of a hot asphalt roofing material, which is. in the usual manner, carried beneath the grit machine in order to receive the grit particles. The roofing material is not shown on the drawings, it being well understood in the art that in gritting" roofing material, the hot asphalt covering is so moved to receive grits, after which the covering is passed between rollers where the grits are pressed into the asphalt surface, thereby giving the final result of a prepared sheet of roofing material. By adjusting the shut-off means associated with each hopper chamber, the quantity of grits permitted to fall on the tables can be regulated so as to give a regular or an irregular amount of mixing and blending. As the grits fall, and the conveyor means being in motion, the scraping vmeans moving along and over the top of the uting tables. As they fall into this space they are further jostled by contacting the upper and lower portions of the endless chain of the conveyor means, and eventually reach the distributing chamber in a mixed and blended state. And as previously set out they then fall from the distributing chamber onto the roofing material.

It will then be seen that the colored grits being regulated to fall on the distributing tables in a predetermined manner, and being forced into the apertures of the distributing tables as well as between the distributing tables into the baille means, are thoroughly mixed and blended together as they fall from the baille chamber onto a covering material.

It will also be understood that the driving mechanism can be so regulated as to move the conveyor means with its associated scraping means at any desired speed.

By the combination and careful adjustments of the various parts, it will be seen that the desired blending of the various colors will be accomextending beneath the open bottom of the hopper said table having a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; and means for continuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape off the table grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper.

2. In a grit blending and spreading machine a hopper, said hopper having a plurality of compartments, each having a separate opening in its bottom; a distributing table extending'beneath openings in the bottoms of said compartments said table having" a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; and means for continuously moving said scrapers alongand over the top surface auaoav extending beneath the open bottom of the hopper said table having a discontinuous plane top surface; an endless conveyor including scrapers extending therefrom over the table; and means for actuating the endless conveyor to continuously move said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape oil the table grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper.

4. In a'grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper, open at its bottom; a distributing table extending beneath the open bottom of the hopper said table having a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; means for continuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape oif the table grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper; and a flange on one edge of the table for preventing grit from falling over said edge.

5. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper, open at its bottom; a distributing table extending beneath the open bottom of the hopper said table having a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; means forcontinuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape oil the table grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper; and shutoff means operatively associated with the hopper for regulating the flow of grit therethrough.

6. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper having openings on opposite sides of its bottom; spaced apart distributing tablesvextending beneath the openings in the bottom of the hopper said tables having a discontinuous plane top surface; an endless conveyor the upper course of which extends between the tables; scrapers on the conveyor extending outwardly from the conveyor over the tables; and means for moving the endless conveyor to move said scrapers along and over the top surface of the tables to scrape off the tables the grit which has fallen on the tables through the openings in the hopper.

7. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper, open at its bottom; a distributing table extending beneath the open bottom of the hopper, said distributing table having a plane surface having a plurality of apertures therein for the passage of grit therethrough; scrapers; and means for continuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape off the table through said apertures grit which has fallen on the tablefrom the hopper.

8. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper, open at its bottom; a distributing table extending beneath the open bottom of the hopper said table having a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; means for continuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape off the table grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper; and a distributing chamber beneath the table for receiving the grit and spreading it on the roofing material.

9. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper having openings on opposite sides of its bottom; spaced apart, plane surfaced distributing tables extending beneath the openings in the bottom of the hopper; an endless conveyor the upper course of which extends between the tables; scrapes on the conveyor extending outwardly from the conveyor over the tables and angularly mounted relative to 'the line of travel ofithe conveyor; and means for moving the endless conveyor to move said scrapers over the tables to scrape the grit which has fallen on the tables through the openings in the hopper of! the tables and into the space between the distributing tables.

10. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper having openings on opposite sides of its bottom; spaced apart plane surfaced distributingtables having apertures therein and extending beneath the openings in the bottom of the hopper; an endless conveyor the uppercourse of which extends between the tables; scrapers on the conveyor extending outwardly from the conveyor over the tables; and means for moving the endless conveyor to move said scrapers over the tables to scrape off the tables the grit which has fallen on the tables through the openings in the hopper. 4

11. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper having openings on opposite sides of its bottom; spaced apart plane surfaced distributing tables extending beneath the openings in the bottom of the hopper said tables having a discontinuous plane top surface; an endless conveyor the upper course of which extends between the tables; scrapers on the conveyor extending outwardly from the conveyor along and over the top surface of the tables; means for moving the endless conveyor to move said scrapers over the tables to scrape oil the tables the grit which has fallen on the tables through the openings in the hopper; and a distributing chamber beneath the table for receiving the grit and spreading it on the roofing material.

12. Ina grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper divided into a plurality of grit holding compartments and having openings on opposite sides of its bottom; spaced apart plane surfaced distributing tables extending beneath the openings in the bottom of the hopper said tables having a discontinuous plane top surface; an endless conveyor the upper course of which extends between the tables; scrapers on the conveyor extending outwardly from the conveyor along and over the top surface of the tables; means for moving the endless conveyor to move said scrapers over the table to scrape off the table the grit which has fallen on the tables through the openings in the hopper, said scrapers moving transversely of said compartments; and means for moving sheeting material beneath said distributing tables and transversely of the movement of the scrapers.

13. In a grit blending and spreading machine, a hopper; comprising at least one 'row of grit holding compartments each having a separate opening in its bottom; a distributing table extending beneath the openings in the bottom of the hopper said'table having a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; means for continuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surface of the table to scrape ofl the table the grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper, said scrapers moving along the row of compartments; and means for moving sheeting material beneath said distributing table and transversely of the movement of the scrapers.

said table having a discontinuous plane top surface; scrapers; means for continuously moving said scrapers along and over the top surrace 01 the table to scrape off the table grit which has fallen on the table from the hopper,

' the scrapers being angularly mounted relative to their direction 01' travel; and a distributing chamber beneath the table for receiving the grit and spreading it on roofing material.

CHARLES A. FRITCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'oi record in the tile 01' this patent:

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